Vacuum-tube socket



ay 7 R. scHUR VACUUM TUBE SOCKET Filed Jan. 21. 1924 1L am.

1 UNITEDsTATEs PATENT OFFICE. g

@Petente'd Mey 1o, 1927. g y

RAYMOND SOEUR', 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. I

`l e. vacuum-'TUBE socxn'r.

Application' mea January 21, 1924. seriai No. 687,569.

My present invention relates to sockets and more particularl to that type of socket having a plurality o individual spring contact members adapted to be engaged by a plurality of conductors carried -by the base of a vacuum tube or other electrical apparatus. l,

In the transmitting and receiving of wireless telegraph and" telephone messages, when vacuum tubes o r valves are used, it is the customary practice to have sockets to hold the tubes in place so as to keep them effectively connected to other parts in the circuit. This is usuallyI accomplished by means of apeg carried by the base of the tube and fitting into a bayonet slot formed in `the socket. It is obvious however, that,

no matter what the material of the socket is, there are numerous deficiencies in its make upl as manufactured at present. A If the tube does not'it snugly within the socket, the tube may be moved back and forth whilein the socket so as to break contact with the contact arms ofthe socket on i the side opposite to the pegiof the tube. The

c tubes may also be rocked and thereby make a poor contact at one point which increases the resistance of the set and therebyvre-1 sults in a general decrease in eiciency. This making and breakin of the contacts quite frequently occurs w en the set is jarred by any cause, or especially should the set vide Ia socket so constructed that the tube or its equivalent,A which is inserted into the socket, will be held against movement withinthe socket and thereby maintain the maximum etlciency thereof. Other objects of my invention will appear 1n the folle detailed description, taken in connection w1th the accompanying drawingfformmga part of this specification, and in winch drawing,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of my preferred form of socket and showing a vacuum tube held'thereby.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the type of socket as disclosed in Figure 1. A

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form of socket and tube engaging element, and showing the tube held in position by means of ascrew forcing'an elementinto engagement therewith.

Figure 4 is a top -plan'view of the form of socket as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a lfragmentary vertical section of the form as shown in Figure 3, and vshow-v ,ing a tube held in place by means of the sprinv` tension means alone.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the views, A designates a socket adapted to receive a vacuum tube or other electrical apparatus B; said tube to be held in operative engagement within fthe socket A as by means C.

' The socket` A, which is preferably made of an insulating material, comprises a base 10 and .a 4tubular socket portion 11 provided with the'usual bayonet slot 12 for receiving the peg 18 carried by the lbase 14 of the tube A. The vradially extending springcontact members 15 which are carried by the-base'lO, are adapted'to be engaged by the contact prongs 16 of the tube A when the tube is inserted into'the socket portion 11 for completing the circuits through the tube in the usual and well known manner. Any preferred t pe of binding post 17 may be employed or connecting a source of electrical energyto the contact members 15.

The form of securing means C, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, consists of set screws' 18 which l are yarranged in diametrically disposed screw threaded openings 19 provided near the upper end of the socket porl tion 11. These set screws 18 ,are disposed with their 'axes converging inwardly and downwardly and have their inner ends cupped as at 20 for angular biting engagement with the outer wall of the tube base 14. It can be seen that when these set screws 18 downwardly'and thereby press the prongs 16 `into firm electrical contacting relation with members 15. Ify found desirable, an-

yare turned inwardly, they notonly act to center the tube over the spring contact members 15,' but also tendl to force the tube finternally screvi7 threaded bushing may be as consisting of two diametrically disposed.

vset screws disposed with their axesconvergging inwardly, it is t'o` be understood that under varying conditions, that'l one, or an number of securing means may be employe and that if desired the set screws may be disposed with their axes extending ata right angle to the major axis of the socket portion 11. As in the example shown, the set screws are formed with wrench heads, butif desired, the same may be slotted or knurled for permitting ofthe 'easy turning thereof. v

`In the form of securing means as shown In Figures 3, 4 and 5, strips of flexible material 20 which extend longitudinally of the socket portion 11, have their ends secured tothe inner wall of the socket portion as by rivetsl 21l These strips 20 are positioned diamet' rically opposite one another and have their arcuate portions extending into'V the socket portion 1l to bekengaged by the outer wall' of the base 14 when the tube is inserted -into the socket. When a tube having a relatively small base is inserted into the socket, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, set screws 22 which tur-n in screw threaded openings 23 provided infthe socket portion'Il, may be fed ini wardly for forcing the flexible strips 20 into binding engagement with the base 11 for p "screw threaded into .thel socket portion and adapted toengag'e the base'Y of the tube at an centering the -same and preventing lateral movement of the tube. These set screws22 are positioned diametrically opposite one another beneath the liexiblestrips' 20, and- I' preferably have their axes extending at a" right ,angle to the axis of thel socket portion 11. It can be seen that by movementof the set screws22, that the prongs 16 of the tube l B may be centered over the spring contact members' 15 and also held in contacting relation therewith. Referring to Figure 5,

i should the diameter of the base 14 be of I slightly less diameter f the socket portion 11, the flexible diameter than the inner strip` 2O will suiicefor holding the tube in Y its proper position with respect to thesocket.`

spring may v desired, an e ansible coil Ii Xp 2O and the be positioned between thestrips inner wall of the socket portion 11 forfforc'-f engagement; -with 'provided whereby the objectional'features of poor contacting relation betweencthe tube terminals and the base terminals has been eliminated.- 4 J Y Various minor changes may be made as to material V.and disposition of the various elements without departing from the spirit or,.65

scope ofthe invention; but,

I claim: y

1.,A socket for audion tubes comprising a base and aA socket portion, individual contact members carried by the base Iand extend-' ing into the socket portion, and `a member threaded into the socket portion and engaging the tube base for ,firmly forcing 'a plurality of conductors carried by the tube base in effective engagement with said contact 'members 2. A socket for audion tubes com rising a base and a lsocket portion, indivi ual contact members car-rieidiby the base andextending into the socket portion, and means disposed diametrically of the socket portion` adapted forI centering the tube within the Y socketportion and for firmly forcing theJ tube in eiective'engagementwith the contact members.

3. Alsocket rfor audion 'tubes comprising acute angle tothe axis of the socket portion for firmly-forcing a plurality of conductors carried by the base of the tube in effective said spring contact members. v

4. A socket for audion tubes comprising a base and a socket portion, spring contact" members carried by the base and extending `into the socket portion, and set screws dis- 100 posed diametrically of the socket portion and having their ,axes converging inwardly and downwardly, 'adapted to engage the base of the tubehfor centering the tube within the socket'portion,zand for firmly forcing `con- 105 tact prongscarriedby the tube base in engagcmeiit with' said spring` contact members. 

